Beneath the Stars
by Meliantha
Summary: While camping outside on the road to the Johto League, Misty comes to terms with her feelings for Ash. Rating to be safe. Please read and review.


**A/N:  **I had this song stuck in my head  and my muse attacked me with a fanfic that went perfectly with it.  Anyway, the song is "Misty's Song," a song that I'm sure you've all heard before.  Warning!  The following fanfic is very mushy and filled with WAFF(warm and fluffy feeling).  You have been warned.  Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Ash, Misty, Brock, Pikachu, or any other Pokemon.  In fact, I do not own Pokemon at all!  This song also belongs to Pokemon, and you can find it on the 2 B A Master CD.

Beneath the Stars 

     "Whew!  I'm exhausted," Ash said as he sat with a thunk on the ground.  He gazed up at the slowly graying sky.  The boy could feel his lids growing heavy, and he yawned.  "I'm going to roll out my sleeping bag now," he informed the other three members of the group.  Four when including Togepi.

     "You sure, Ash?" Brock asked.  "I'm fixing some good stew tonight."

     "Nah, I'm not really hungry."

     "Eat, Ash."

     Ash looked up to Misty.  "What?"

     "I said, eat," she repeated, sitting down on her knees.  "We'll need our energy tomorrow."

     "She's right," Brock agreed.  "We're almost to Black Thorn city.  You'll need to have lots of energy when you go to fight Claire…"  His voice trailed off as he got starry-eyed.  Drool formed at the corner of his mouth.  "Claire…"

     Misty whacked Brock over the head with her bag.  "Control yourself, Brock!"

     Brock shook his head.  He sighed.  "Well, I've got to prepare my delicious stew!"  In no time, the elder of the group was in his apron and tossing ingredients into the pot bubbling over the fire.

     Misty began rolling out her sleeping bag.  Togepi sat near then fire beside Pikachu, warming its tiny hands.

     "Whatcha doin', Misty?" Ash asked, watching her.

     "Rolling out my sleeping bag.  What's it look like?"

     Ash shrugged.  "I was just wondering why you were setting up to go to sleep.  We haven't eaten yet."

     Misty sighed and sat back on her feet.  "I'm rolling out my sleeping bag so I can have somewhere to sit while I eat.  It's too much trouble to unfold that table."

     Ash yawned.  "I guess you're right."

     "Supper's ready!" Brock called, and he handed the two their bowls of stew.

     When the stars were just beginning to wink into visibility, the little group finished their meal.

     "Aaah…." sighed Misty.  "Delicious as always, Brock."

     "Thank you," Brock said, putting the bowls away.

     Togepi was curled up in Misty's sleeping bag already, snoring softly.

     "Can we go to sleep now?" Ash asked.

     Misty giggled.  "Yes, Ash."

     "Good."  He climbed into his bag.

     "Alright.  We should all be getting to bed now," said Brock, as he too entered his sleeping bag.  Misty slid in next to Togepi.

     Pikachu snuggled up next to Ash.  Ash chuckled and patted the Pokemon on its head.  "Good night, Pikachu."

     "Pika…"

     "Good night, Brock."

     " 'Night."

     "Good night, Misty.  See you in the morning!"

     Ash rolled over and was immediately asleep.  Misty gazed at the younger boy.  

     "Good night, Ash.  Sweet dreams."

     Misty laid her head on her pillow and closed her eyes.  After a moment, however, she opened them again and sat up.  She sighed.  "I can't sleep," she muttered.

     She turned her face to the dark sky above her.  She could hear the HootHoot calling.  The Caterpie chirped in the forest.  Misty shook her head and focused her attention on the stars.  They were much nicer than a bunch of bugs.  A song hesitantly began to form in her mind.

_"Out here in the quiet open night…_

_beneath the stars…and moon."_

     Misty poked a stick into the dying fire and moved the logs around until it flared back to life.  She glanced over at Ash, who was sleeping peacefully, one arm draped around Pikachu.

_"We both know we've got something on our minds_

_we won't admit.  But it's true."_

     The girl gazed over at Ash as he rolled from his stomach to his side so that he was facing her.  The fire caused golden patterns to play on his face, and Misty hastily turned her attention to the ground. 

_"You look at me,_

_I look away._

_"I want to tell you what I'm feeling,_

_but I don't know how to start.  _

_I want to tell you but, now, I'm afraid_

_that you might break my heart._

_Oh, why should anything so easy _

_be so hard to do?_

_I want to tell you how I'm feeling and_

_to say that,_

_'I love you.' "_

     Misty blinked in surprise.  That was really it, wasn't it?  She was in love with Ash Ketchum.  She snorted derisively.  It was kind of funny, really.  She had been following him around the continent because he had broken her bike, or so she had said.  No one chased someone around the world about a broken bike and then forgot to tell his mom about it.  Actually, she had found herself, more than once, thinking about him.  Not about revenge, but about him.  Ash Ketchum.

     She laughed.  Imagine that!  She had been lying to herself all this time.  Misty realized that now.  She could remember all the times that Ash had made her angry, but every time, she had forgiven him.  Of course, he wasn't going to know that; she had a reputation to uphold.  She would find herself thinking of how she could tell him she had forgiven him a long time ago for mutilating her bicycle. 

_"I've practiced all the things _

_that I could say._

_Line by line,_

_Word by word."_

     However, when she faced him later, all her preplanned confessions slipped away.  They always bumped into something that completely sidetracked her.  Even if there were no interruptions, she wouldn't be able to tell him.  He was so happy, even though she had never said she'd forgiven him.  Ash was happy in spite of that; that was just his way, she guessed.  Imagine how _that _would be effected if Misty told Ash she loved him!  

 _"I tell myself,_

_'Today could be the day.'_

_But every time,_

_I lose my nerve."_

     Misty glanced over at Ash, who was still facing her.  She smiled.  Sure, Ash was annoying and immature sometimes.  She still was attracted to him.  He was so innocent, though not to the Pokemon world.  It was the world of humans that he ignorant to.  Almost as if he knew she was watching him, Ash turned onto his other side, facing away from Misty.  In a fit of resentment, she picked up a pebble and hurled it into the fire.

_"I look at you,_

_you look away!"_

     The girl calmed herself.  She wasn't really angry at him.  He couldn't know that he'd just hurt her feelings by a simple shift in the way he was lying.  Ash just often made her so mad!  But that was Ash, and she got over it quickly.  She had gotten over the bike thing rather quickly, now that she thought about it.  Her eyes softened as she gazed at his coal-black hair.  Suddenly, she had the overwhelming urge to ruffle it, and she reached out to touch it.  Misty quickly caught herself and pulled her hand away.  She pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.

_"I want to tell you what I'm feeling,_

_but I don't know how to start._

_I want to tell you but, now, I'm afraid_

_that you might break my heart._

_Oh, why should anything so easy_

_ever be so hard to do?_

_I want to tell you how I'm feeling_

_and to say that,_

_'I love you.' "_

     Unable to control herself, Misty reached out a hand and tousled Ash's hair.  It was soft, despite the fact that it must have aquired a lot of dirt on their journeys.  Unlike Brock, Misty had been with Ash since the beginning.  Through the Indigo Plateau, through the Orange Islands League, and now on the way to overcome Johto.  Ash jerked under her hand and unconsciously moved away from her.  Misty stared at him, stunned.  A single tear formed in her blue eye, and she reluctantly let it spill over.

_"Why?  Why do you turn away?"_

     Misty swiftly brushed it away and smiled weakly at him.  She was being silly.

_"It must be you're afraid like me."_

     "Would it be easier if I didn't have this feeling?" Misty whispered.  She sighed.  "But I can't do that.  I can't lie to myself anymore."

_"I try!  _

_But I can't pretend that I_

_don't feel for you_

_the way I do,_

_can't you see?"_

     She gazed at Ash, her heart aching.  "Oh, Ash.  Why can't you understand?  Sometimes, I wish you were older.  That way, you could at least understand my feelings.  Brock knows I like you.  Tracy knows.  They say that you like me too.  How is it you don't know?"

_"I want to tell you what I'm feeling,_

_but I don't how to start._

_I want to tell you, but, now, I'm afraid_

_that you might break my heart._

_Oh, why should anything so easy_

_ever be so hard to do?_

_I want to tell you what I'm feeling_

_and to say that…"_

     Misty leaned toward Ash until her lips were inches away from his ear, and whispered,  _"I love you."_

     Without warning, Ash stirred.  Misty gasped in surprise and quickly pulled away.  She stared intently into the fire, acting like that was what she had been doing the entire time.

     Ash sat up, yawning and rubbing his eyes.  "Did you say something, Misty?" he mumbled.

     She shook her head vigorously.  "No, Ash.  I didn't say anything!  Good night."

     "Okay," he said sleepily, and laid back down.  "Good night, Misty."

     The girl's eyes glazed over as a small smile quirked her lips.  __

_Good night, Ash._

_I love you._

*~*~*~*~*

Review?  Please?  It will make my day to see that pretty little review sign by this fanfic.


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